As the Mets, just four hours away from their first playoff games, continue to wonder who the heck is supposed to pitch these darned playoff games — it's John Maine, by the way — our attention is turned to a reference we always find irresistable: Maybe Sidd Finch should pitch!

Finch, the infamous creation of the late George Plimpton in the pages of Sports Illustrated, threw 168 miles an hour but was so reclusive and mysterious that the Mets were unlikely to ever get him on the field. (We guess they never did.) But considering the Mets will be starting Maine — still better than Jason Marquis, we might add, but you get our drift — a fictional character might be not be the worst bet.

Plus, as The Serious Tip points out, he'd only be 50 years old right now, so he was probably friends with Julio Franco already.